Recovery guide
Direct Laryngoscopy Recovery Guide
Quick answer: After direct laryngoscopy, expect a sore throat, mild hoarseness and some discomfort with swallowing for a few days. Eat soft foods for several days, drink plenty of fluids, and use over-the-counter pain medicine. Most people return to work or school within 24 to 48 hours. If biopsies were taken, we review the results at your follow-up visit.
What should I expect?
Direct laryngoscopy is an examination of the throat and voice box under anesthesia, with biopsies if needed. Afterward, expect:
- A sore throat for a few days.
- Mild soreness of the lips, gums or tongue, and sometimes temporary tongue numbness, from the scope used during the procedure.
- Mild hoarseness or voice changes. Hoarseness from the breathing tube usually improves within a few days. If something was removed from a vocal fold, your surgeon will tell you what to expect.
- Some discomfort with swallowing at first.
How do I take care of myself?
- Wait until you are fully awake and any numbness in your throat has worn off before eating or drinking.
- Eat soft foods for several days, then move back to your usual diet as you feel ready.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
- Pain can usually be controlled with over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol) and either ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), taken as directed on the bottle.
- Avoid heavy coughing and throat clearing.
- Do not smoke.
When can I go back to work?
Most people can return to work or school within 24 to 48 hours.
When will I get my results?
If biopsies were taken, we review the results at your follow-up visit.
When should I call?
Call us for
- A fever over 101°F that does not go away
- Throat pain that gets worse or becomes severe
- Hoarseness that lasts longer than expected
- Coughing or vomiting up more than light streaks of blood
Call 911 or go to the ER for
Any trouble breathing, or noisy or high-pitched breathing. Coughing or vomiting up a lot of blood. If your esophagus (food pipe) was also examined: chest pain, severe pain with swallowing, or a fever.
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Questions patients ask
Most people can return to work or school within 24 to 48 hours.
Hoarseness from the breathing tube usually improves within a few days. If something was removed from a vocal fold, your surgeon will tell you what to expect. Call us if hoarseness lasts longer than expected.
The scope used during the procedure can leave the lips, gums or tongue mildly sore, and the tongue sometimes numb for a short time.
Wait until you are fully awake and any numbness in your throat has worn off. Then eat soft foods for several days and move back to your usual diet as you feel ready. Drink plenty of fluids.
If biopsies were taken, we review the results with you at your follow-up visit.
This guide is for educational purposes only and does not replace an in-person evaluation. If your surgeon gave you different instructions, follow theirs.
Full guide: capitalent.com/direct-laryngoscopy-recovery.html